Nature patiently waits and we have only to turn back to her to find relief from our suffering – Dr Bach

Birch Polypore – Medicine Ancient and Modern

Once in a while a medicinal ally comes along that completely captivates my heart and mind. Over the last year or so the birch polypore fungus has been the ally in question and it is everything that ‘the people’s medicine’ should be – local, abundant, safe and powerfully healing.

Latin – Pitptoporus betulinus – Piptoporus comesfrom the latin meaning ‘pores cast down’ and betulinus from its host tree, the birch.Common name – Birch Polypore, also razor strop fungus, birch conk, birch bracket. The name polypore refers to its many pores, situated on the underside of the fruiting body from which the spores are released.Taste – bitter, slightly sweet and earthy.Smell – I would consider the smell to be rich and mushroomy though the legendary Roger’s mushroom guide describes its as having a ‘distinct or odd smell (not mushroomy).’ So you will have to make up your own mind on that!Actions – Immune tonic, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumour, anti-parasitic, anti-septic, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, styptic.

For further information on taxonomy and identifying this mushroom please see here and here.

The birch polypore grows from a single lateral attachment point on birch trees, being subglobose at first, then expanding to a bracket measuring approximately 10-20 cm across. It is white to begin with, the cap changing to a beige/tan colour and then darkening or greying with age. The underside is white and contains many pores which release their spores into the air. Spores land on exposed areas of birch trees, where branches have broken for example, and begin to grow hyphae which spread to form a mycelial network through the tree. It is considered weakly parasitic on birch trees, a healthy tree will be able to contain the spreading hyphae but in one that is aged or diseased the fungus will begin the gradual process of breaking it down. The fruiting bodies are annual, unlike some of our other common bracket fungi which may live for years, but they are often gnawed by insects before the end of this period so they are better picked young.

Newly erupting fruiting body in the top left and more mature specimen in the bottom right.

Young specimen

Birch polypore grows freely in the temperate forests of Europe and North America and its ethnobotanic uses have been wide and varied. From medicine to tinder, knife sharpener and sweat band, this fungi has been employed in many more ways than your average mushroom. Like the more famous tinder fungus, Fomes fomentarius, it is able to carry a spark from one campsite another, easing the task of firelighting, and in more recent times it was cut into strips and used to sharpen knives, especially by those who could not afford leather, giving it its common name, the razor strop fungus.

It shot to fame after it was found on the body of Ötzi’, a 5300 year old mummy found preserved in the ice in the Italian Alps. Amongst his kit Ötzi’ carried two strips of hide onto which had been threaded pieces of birch polypore. As he was later found at autopsy to be infected with intestinal parasites against which the birch polypore is active, it has been theorised that he was carrying them as treatment and also as a possible anti-septic incase of minor injuries.

Of course to me it is the medicinal properties of this wonderful fungus that are most fascinating and it has a variety of applications which make it a very useful addition to the herbalist’s cabinet. Like our more famous medicinal mushrooms birch polypore contains primary metabolites (polysaccharides) and secondary metabolites (such as triterpenes) that are beneficial for health. Its traditional uses are backed up by research yet it is still not common in the dispensaries of most modern herbalists who tend to rely on the more famous imported medicinal mushrooms.

Like those more famous medicinal mushrooms birch polypore makes a wonderful immune tonic as it contains polysaccharides which are mostly glucans, known to be some of the most effective immune enhancing compounds available.

It has been shown to be a useful support in the treatment of cancer in a number of ways. Alongside providing general support to the immune system, it also inhibits angiogenesis, the formation of new blood cells which occurs in tumour growth. In one study anti-cancer effects were “attributed to decreased tumor cell proliferation, motility and the induction of morphological changes. Of note is the fact that it produced no or low toxicity in tested normal cells.” (1) Another in vitro study on colorectal cancer showed that “Studied extracts highly decreased the viability of cancer cells, slightly inhibiting proliferation and tumor cell adhesion in a time- and dose-dependent manner.” (2) It also found that the extracts studied had very low toxicity to normal cells making it a safe and effective treatment.

The relationship of birch polypore to its host tree is key to its healing actions. It will grow on other trees only if they are artificially inoculated, in nature it is found exclusively on birch trees. One facet of the birch polypore’s healing actions is the concentration of betulinic acid which it potentiates from it’s host tree. Betulinic acid has been shown in various studies to initiate apoptosis, or death of cancer cells. (3) In 2001, an extract of birch polypore containing betulinic acid showed useful antiviral action against HIV by blocking its reproduction. (4)

Birch polypore has also been shown to contain compounds that are matrix metallo-proteinase inhibitors, which can also slow cancer cell proliferation. (5)

It has been shown in various studies to be anti-inflammatory, mainly due to triterpene acids. (6,7)

It is considered a great wound herb, not just for its anti-inflammatory properties but because it is anti-septic, anti-bacterial and helps to stop bleeding. An anti-biotic called Piptamine has been isolated from it and the whole mushroom is said to be effective against various strains of bacteria including E. coli. It can be used to make a perfect plaster when in the field by scoring a rectangle into the underside, then peeling it back slowly and carefully. It is absorbent and holds in place well. Apparently here in Sussex it used to be burnt into a charcoal and used as an anti-septic. I haven’t tried this method yet but it is on my to do list, especially because of the local ethnobotanic connection!

Birch polypore plaster

It also has a lot of potential as an anti-viral. Renowned mycologist and author of Mycelium Running, Paul Stamets has reported that it is active against flu, cowpox, yellow fever and other potentially deadly viruses.

Birch polypore has also been reported to be an aromatase inhibitor, meaning it helps to prevent the conversion of androgen hormones into oestrogen. This is important in both men and women as high oestrogen levels are linked to many hormonal imbalances and cancers.

How to Prepare:

I have mostly been using my birch polypores as either a tea or a tincture. I have been drinking a cup of the tea a few times a week as a general immune tonic over the winter months and I made a delicious birch polypore and elderberry syrup last autumn.

Birch polypore and elderberry immune tonic on the hob.

The tea should be decocted, or gently simmered in water, rather than just left to infuse as tougher parts of plants or fungi need a bit more energy to give up their constituents. A rough recommended dosage would be 1 cup of decoction made with 5-8g dried mushroom per day. The dried (or fresh) mushroom should be added to a pan with the water and allowed to simmer gently for about an hour. If there is a specific health concern then this dose could well be higher but it is best to see a practitioner in that case. If you find the taste of the tea too bitter you can freeze it in ice cube trays to make a medicinal stock which can be added to soups or stews where the flavour will be disguised.

Medicinal mushroom stock ice cubes

Medicinal mushrooms have traditionally been extracted in water, via decoction, to maximise the polysaccharides. The triterpenes and other secondary metabolites tend to extract well in alcohol however so a decocted tincture is ideal to capture a wide range of the mushroom’s constituents.I plan to follow up this post with another describing how to make a decocted tincture in detail and will update the link here when I do.

For storage purpose you can slice the mushrooms and allow to dry, usually a pretty quick process, then store in a jar or brown paper bag out of direct light until ready to use.

Birch polypore dries to a lovely light, velvety material which is a pleasure to touch and stroke. Inspired by a friend of a friend, a German herbalist who had carved a ball from it, I decided to experiment with some polypore craft of my own. Firstly I made a ring, though the flaw in this plan soon became obvious as it rehydrated every time I washed my hands and I ended up with a soggy band of mushroom around my finger! Next were some slightly rustic Christmas decorations which ended up being recycled into tea. Finally I decided to follow in the footsteps of the iceman himself and settle on threading my birch polypore onto a cord to make a necklace. It makes a lovely tactile bead to wear and I enjoy the feeling of connection to a medicine I am using so frequently at the moment… that is, as long as I remember to remove it before the shower!

I hope you get chance to get to know this wonderful ally and work with it yourself. Please remember that even though it is abundant, it is performing a vital task in its environment and it is wise to harvest responsibly, taking a few mushrooms from here and there rather than all from one or two trees.

A most interesting read. As someone recently diagnosed with colorectal cancer, I’m interested in the preparation of tincture. What would you suggest as dosage, and would tincture be prepared in the traditional method of tincturing?
Thanks so much for this timely information!

I would definitely be using the decocted tincture as that maximises the efficacy of the mushroom by combining both water soluble and alcohol soluble constituents. I plan to do a post on how to make this soon, this post was just getting a bit long!
You might also want to look into the local ganoderma mushroom as well as other medicinal mushrooms. They can be very useful in treatment of cancer and can for the most part be taken even if people are having chemotherapy without fear of interactions.
With very best healing wishes. x

I have been collecting medicinal mushrooms for a couple of years now. I make a very potent broth/stock with a number of mushrooms, some root herbs and some good organic beef bones. These mushrooms include Chaga, Maitake, Red-belted polypores, Turkey Tails, then I buy Shitakes from an Asian market. Reishe would be great to add. I can highly recommend Greg Marley’s book, Medicinal Mushrooms, for specific information. Taken daily, this is a very potent support for Cancer patients. My step-father has been taking it for his lymphoma and has had success in raising his blood levels.
I use it to keep me well during winter.

Thank you a very interesting article. I am new to foraging and natural remedies, my next foray will be to collect some birch polypore . Today I found found some turkey tails and alfred cakes in my garden. Any tips about the best way to use turkey tails would be greatly appreciated

Hi Kay,
That’s great! Turkey tails are wonderful medicine. I hope to do a blog post about them sometime soon but in the meantime you will find a lot of information about them online as they are the most well studied of all the medicinal mushrooms. You can do decoctions and decocted tinctures or medicinal stocks just like with the birch polypore.

Here in the UK I have found them at all stages throughout the year however they do seem to be most abundant in late spring and autumn. Just harvest the younger, fresher ones and leave any that are darkly coloured on the underside or have started to decompose or dry out.

You’ve inspired me to see if there’s a similar species here in the U.S. We don’t have many birch trees where I live, but the reishi is rumored to be here… I just haven’t found it yet. Lots of other kinds of trees around to look through, to see which mushroom might compare.

Hi Debra,
This post was getting a bit long which is why I said in the article I would cover it in a separate post very soon. Keep a eye on the blog and I will get the instructions up as soon as time allows.

I finally harvested the birch polypore! How exciting to be working with this beautiful little thing. Lucinda, do you know if there is any contraindication for pregnancy with this one? (not asking for me) Thanks so much!

Hi April, So glad you are working with it! It is considered very safe and non toxic but it is very bitter, especially when prepared as a decoction so I would stick to low doses in pregnancy personally.

Reblogged this on Sweet Gum Springs Apothecary and commented:
A wonderful post by an English herbalist on the Birch polypore ~ enjoy! Much of what she writes (in terms of preparation) is similar for all medicinal polypores.

Hi Flora, I haven’t used fomes medicinally so can’t be of much use but I have heard that it was used for wounds in the past. Also there is research suggesting that an extract obtained from it was highly anti-infective.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22135899
I’m not sure how an extract of the whole mushroom compares to this but I will look into it further when I have the time.

Thanks for this post. It prompted me to go ahead and buy a half pound of the dried mushrooms on eBay. I’m trying to decide if my first use will be a decocted tincture or just a decoction. I found instructions on a website from Britain which explained all of the different methods of making tinctures, decoctions and decocted tinctures.

We are in good birch wood country here and I often see these fungi growing on the decaying trees. I am living with M.E. at the moment and am keen to try some of your ideas! Just for reassurance before I try harvesting any, could you tell me if there are any other species of bracket fungi which grow on birch, which might cause confusion? Thank you.

Brilliant Info – many thanks! 🙂
I was looking for medicinal info on this polypore in 2012 and there was hardly anything about it – now 2015 i find lots more info and can use this mushroom confidently as i have quite a stash of dried samples – all i have growing around me are loads of birch, these polypores are everywhere!
Looking forward to making tea and tincture with it now, thanks from Ireland! 🙂

Hello Lucinda, wondering if I can ask your opinion on the method I have been using to treat my Anklosing Spondilitus/ and overall health and most recently menapause which is one tsp. of finely ground powder in my yogurt with granola, my recent 6 month tests show that my levels went down significantly. Just want to know how safe you think it is taking it this way? I live in the woods in Northeast Wisconsin and plan to sell my chunk dehydrated polypore on ebay to share something that alot of people dont have access to. I thank you for your time and hope to hear back in any way.

Hi Cindy,
Sorry for the delayed reply, I haven’t been online much the last month. Birch polypore is very safe so the dose you are taking sounds absolutely fine. Do you grind it yourself from the dried mushroom? So glad to hear it has been helpful for you!

There are various polypores that grow on trees but nothing that looks that similar to my mind. Have a look in a good mushroom id book to be sure but there isn’t anything poisonous that could easily be mistaken for it.

Hi Darien,
Sorry my reply is a bit late. Hopefully you managed to dry the birch polypore you found. Basically you would just slice it finely and lay it out on paper or a drying rack to air dry. If your house is damp you might need a dehydrator, otherwise it should work fine.
The tincture is more complicated, it involves mixing a strong decoction with an alcohol extract but making sure the final percentage of alcohol is not less than 25. It is a bit lengthy to describe here but I do plan to write a detailed post in future.

Yes Chaga is wonderful medicine. I don’t think of it so much as a more potent version but as a different medicine, though it has many of the same uses. It doesn’t grow much here in the South of the UK so i haven’t harvested it myself. It grows well in Scotland though so hopefully one day I will be able to visit and pick my own. 🙂

Could we please stop using the term tea for drinks that don’t contain Camellia sinensis. Mixing terms in the world of potions is not very wise. The correct term is a brew or in science world its an infusion.

Hi there, great article! I just found some Birch Polypores today and took one home. It´s now drying slowly in the oven. Did you do the post on decoted tinctures yet. I am dying to know how to do it.. 🙂
BB, Sam

Thank you! Great information and perfect tea! I’ve been looking to add this mushroom to my world! Your article is well written and informative. Maine is abundant with these beauties. Do you think hot water will extract out the antioxidant properties of this mushroom without having to simmer it? I understand that in order to draw out the other properties, I need to simmer it first.

The traditional method of extraction for most medicinal mushrooms involves simmering. I think there are other fruits and veg with higher antioxidant contents so I personally would use other things if I was just interested in the antioxidants and keep the mushrooms for their full value. When I have made a hot tea of birch polypore I haven’t felt that there was much in it but it’s always worth trying and seeing what you feel.

Fantastic article, I’m going to have a go at drying some Birch Polypore, please can I ask, should I discard of the underneath layer as I cannot see it on your photo, not sure if it has useful properties or not. Thanks.

[…] polypore, a fungus that grows on birch trees, was found within the remains of a mummified man. (6) It can cause diarrhea when eaten, which may indicate that it was consumed as a laxative. Clearly, […]

I’ve been taking this tea for about 10 months. Initially for sever shoulder pain from inflammation. Since then I have not taken any OTC pain meds. It has helped people I know to kick the flu in 2 days where others foought it off for 2 weeks and reduce the number and intensity of a asthma attacks. My eldest sister is completely off her anti inflammation meds. My youngest sister has bad bronchitis attacks in which she would be bed ridden 2 weeks at a time while on steroids and other meds. This tea prevented her from getting laid up, did not need meds and 2 days later she only had a scratchy throat. This information is now spreading throughout my family who are eagerly trying it for old age aches and pains. This mushroom is a true natural gift.

[…] be white on the inside and not gray. I love their taste personally. The one on the right is a birch polypore (Pitptoporus betulinus). This is a good one used as a Immune tonic, anti-inflammatory, […]

Lucinda thank you for this beautiful blog! I came soon a giant mushroom on a path in Wimbledon Commin and being from South Africa I am very cautious about poisonous berries and fungi. A friend of mine identified it and your blog (I hope) has confirmed this. I am currently doing Shamanic practices and feel this is a gift. I would like to make the necklace but scared of ruining my mushroom – would you mind sending some details to my email. Also want to send you a picture in case I have something else…

Hi all, I just want to ask if someone ever tried using shrooms or truffles for medical purposes? I was reading some articles about this magic truffles and shrooms before engaging my self for the first time. Like this one from:https://www.trufflemagic.com/blog/what-are-shrooms/ .They say that it has a very potent effect on the brain and hallucination. Unlike marijuana does it have any medical use? In one article that I’ve read magic truffles or shrooms compaired to synthetic drugs are very alarming. Also magic mushroom are use on reducing the symptoms of depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder and anxiety. It can also help people to quit smoking and alcohol addiction. Some studies also suggest the property of magic shrooms/truffles can be useful for cancer patients. I would really want to hear other insights regarding this new possible alternative meds. Thanks

Great article… I’ve collected some Birch Polypore this fall. They are older specimens which are very dark with some spore damaged by insects . If I removed the spore and cut up the rest of the mushroom to dry, would I be loosing some of the benefits ?